Health · Baker

Baker, KS health

Baker differs from Kansas on 15 of 40 measures. It has fewer adults who have had cancer (7.2% vs 8.1%). Where it trails the state: more adults without reliable transportation (10.6% vs 7.1%).

CDC PLACES 2025 · adults 18+ · ZIP codes 66762, 66781
TownTapestry Health GradeNew

Baker’s Health Grade: C+

On seven CDC health estimates for adults, Baker is healthier than 37% of U.S. towns.

C+Self-rated healthB-Physical distressDMental distressC+ObesityB+DiabetesCSmokingCExercise
All U.S. towns we grade (19,420)Healthier than 37%
Less healthyHealthier
Kansas towns we grade (377)Healthier than 26%
Towns with similar incomes, $75K–$124K (8,049)Healthier than 14%

Wealth explains part of the grade. Baker is healthier than 37% of U.S. towns overall, but against towns with similar incomes its edge is smaller.

These are estimates. At the ends of CDC’s likely ranges, Baker could be anywhere from D to B+.
How the Health Grade works
  • Seven CDC estimates. Adults in fair or poor health, frequent physical distress, frequent mental distress, obesity, diabetes, smoking and no exercise (CDC PLACES, 2025 release). On each one a town earns the share of U.S. towns doing worse, and those shares are averaged. It’s the same score as our Healthiest towns in Kansas ranking.
  • Graded on a national curve. Every U.S. town with 1,000+ residents and all seven estimates (19,420 places) is lined up by score: A+ top 5%A next 10%A- next 10%B B+ to B−, next 30%C C+ to C−, next 30%D D and D−, bottom 15%
  • Not adjusted for income. Wealthier towns are usually healthier, and the grade shows that as it is. The similar-incomes bar compares Baker with U.S. towns whose median household income is within 25% of its own.
  • Modeled, not measured. CDC combines national survey answers with each area’s age, sex, race and income mix. Baker’s figures come from the ZIP codes that cover it, weighted by land area. High blood pressure is left out because it tracks age more than anything else. The confidence line recomputes the grade with every estimate at the low, then the high, end of its range.
Report card

How Baker compares with Kansas

Each theme counts how many of its measures are better, worse or too close to call against the state. Tap one to jump to it.

Chronic conditions

Out of every 100 Baker adults…

34 of every 100 Baker adults have high blood pressure
Kansas: 34 in 100 · too close to call · margin 30.3–37.2%

Bars show Baker; the black tick is Kansas. Tap a condition to see it as people.

Habits

Everyday habits, side by side with the state

Baker, betterBaker, worseToo close to callKansas
Get no exerciseshare of adults 28.3% Baker
KS 25.6%
Sleep under 7 hoursshare of adults 35.1% Baker
KS 34.3%
Binge drinkshare of adults 16.6% Baker
KS 16.3%
Smoke cigarettesshare of adults 17% Baker
KS 14%
0%10%20%30%40%
Care & screenings

Keeping up with care

Share of Baker adults getting routine care. The full ring is 100%; the dark tick marks Kansas.

75%
Yearly checkup
KS 77%
58%
Dentist visit
KS 65%
78%
Cholesterol check
KS 84%
60%
Colon screening
KS 64%
71%
Mammogram
KS 75%
75%
Taking BP meds
KS 78%
1 in 9
working-age adults has no health insurance
Baker 10.8% · Kansas 1 in 10 (9.9%)
Mind & connection

How Baker adults are doing

1 in 3Baker adults feel lonely
36.7% · Kansas 30.9% · worse
1 in 4Baker adults have been diagnosed with depression
23.5% · Kansas 20.8% · too close to call
1 in 5Baker adults lack social or emotional support
21% · Kansas 21.1% · too close to call
1 in 5Baker adults are in frequent mental distress
19.6% · Kansas 16% · worse
Everyday needs

Making ends meet

Needs that shape health as much as any doctor visit: food, housing, utilities and a way to get around.

1 in 5
Baker adults worry about having enough food
18.2% · KS 13% · worse
1 in 7
Baker adults worry about keeping their housing
14% · KS 11.2% · worse
1 in 9
Baker adults were threatened with a utility shut-off
11.5% · KS 8.2% · worse
1 in 9
Baker adults lack reliable transportation
10.6% · KS 7.1% · worse

13% of Baker adults receive SNAP (food stamps), compared with 7.4% across Kansas.

Disability

Living with a disability

35.9%

of Baker adults live with a disability (Kansas 30.4%). Thinking or memory is the most common.

Walking or climbing stairs14.6%
Thinking or memory18.9%
Hearing7.9%
Errands alone10.5%
Vision6%
Dressing or bathing4.3%

Black tick: Kansas. Shown without a better/worse judgment.

Around Baker

Baker and the towns around it

Pick a measure to shade the map. Darker is worse for health. Pins are hospitals and community health centers in and near Baker.

Pittsburg: 37.1% Sheridan: 38.3% Pleasant View: 41.1% South West: 38.6% Frontenac: 34.3% Washington: 37.8% Opolis: 37.9% Crawford: 37.8% Osage: 38.6% Shawnee: 43.4% Ozark: 39.1% Nashville: 39.5% Mindenmines: 39.4% Mulberry: 39.1% Lincoln: 38.6% Baker: 37.4% Baker Pittsburg Sheridan Pleasant View South West Frontenac Washington Opolis Mercy Hospital Pittsburg · Pittsburg · 2.6 mi · 3★ MedicareH Girard Medical Center · Girard · 12.4 mi · 2★ MedicareH Mercy Hospital Columbus · Columbus · 14.5 miH Mercy Specialty Hospital Southeast Kansas · Galena · 17 miH Chc/Sek South Pittsburg · Pittsburg · 2.9 mi+
34.3%43.4%· darker is worse for health

Obesity

#3 of 16towns on this map, healthiest first
Frontenac34.3%
Pittsburg37.1%
Baker37.4%
Washington37.8%
Opolis37.9%
Sheridan38.3%
South West38.6%
Pleasant View41.1%
6 places to get careNearest ER 2.6 mi

Nearby towns are shaded from CDC's estimates for their ZIP codes, or CDC's own figure for cities and villages.

Getting care

Care in and near Baker

No hospital or community health center in Baker itself. These are the nearest.

HNearest ERMercy Hospital PittsburgPittsburg · 2.6 miDirections →
★Best rated nearbyGirard Medical Center★★★★★ · 12.4 miDirections →
+Low-cost careCommunity Health Center of Southeast KansasPittsburg · 2.9 mi · sliding-scale feesDirections →
2.6 mi
Mercy Hospital Pittsburg
Pittsburg · ★★★★★
ER
2.9 mi
Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas
6 sites · nearest in Pittsburg
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
12.4 mi
Girard Medical Center
Girard · ★★★★★
ERRural critical access
14.5 mi
Mercy Hospital Columbus
Columbus · not rated
ERRural critical access
17 mi
Mercy Specialty Hospital Southeast Kansas
Galena · not rated
22.2 mi
Ozark Tri-County Health Care Consortium
2 sites · nearest in Joplin
Sliding-scale fees
Directions to nearest
! Primary careBaker's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Crawford County · need score 18 of 25
! Dental careBaker's county is a federal shortage area for some residents.Low-income residents, Crawford County · need score 15 of 25
! Mental healthBaker's county is a federal shortage area.Crawford County · need score 17 of 25

Hospitals: Medicare overall star ratings, 1–5. Community health centers charge on a sliding scale by income. Distances are straight-line from the center of Baker. Shortage areas: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas (a “population” designation covers specific residents, such as those with low incomes).

All 40 measures for Baker
MeasureBakerMarginKansas
Chronic conditions
High blood pressure33.9%30.3–37.2%34.4%about the same
High cholesterol34.7%31.1–38.2%36.7%about the same
Obesity37.4%31.2–43.5%36.5%about the same
Arthritis25%22.3–27.6%25.5%about the same
Depression23.5%20.2–26.9%20.8%about the same
Lost all teeth (65+)15.7%13.1–18.7%11.3%worse
Asthma10.9%9.6–12.2%9.9%about the same
Cancer (not skin)7.2%6.5–7.8%8.1%better
Diabetes10.8%9.5–12.2%11.4%about the same
COPD8.1%7.1–8.9%6.7%worse
Heart disease6.6%5.9–7.2%6.4%about the same
Stroke3.3%3.1–3.7%3.2%about the same
Habits
Smoke cigarettes17%14.8–19.4%14%worse
Binge drink16.6%13.7–19.6%16.3%about the same
Get no exercise28.3%24.1–32.3%25.6%about the same
Sleep under 7 hours35.1%29.9–40.5%34.3%about the same
Care & screenings
Yearly checkup74.7%70.7–78%76.6%about the same
Dentist visit57.8%54.4–61.2%64.9%worse
Cholesterol check77.8%75.4–80%84.1%worse
Colon screening59.8%55.1–64.4%63.5%about the same
Mammogram71.3%63.7–78.1%74.6%about the same
Taking BP meds74.5%71.9–76.7%77.6%worse
No health insurance10.8%9.4–12.5%9.9%about the same
Mind & connection
Feel lonely36.7%32.1–41.5%30.9%worse
Lack emotional support21%18.2–24.3%21.1%about the same
Frequent mental distress19.6%17.4–21.8%16%worse
Fair or poor health21%18.3–23.6%18%worse
Frequent physical distress14.2%12.5–15.9%12.3%worse
Everyday needs
Food insecurity18.2%15.8–20.8%13%worse
Housing insecurity14%12.2–16.1%11.2%worse
Utility shut-off threat11.5%10.1–13.1%8.2%worse
No reliable transportation10.6%9.4–12%7.1%worse
Receive SNAP13%11.2–15%7.4%
Disability
Any disability35.9%31.8–40%30.4%
Walking or climbing stairs14.6%12.9–16.5%13.4%
Thinking or memory18.9%16.8–21.1%14.4%
Hearing7.9%7–8.7%7.4%
Vision6%5.4–6.5%4.6%
Dressing or bathing4.3%3.9–4.7%3.5%
Errands alone10.5%9.4–11.7%7.7%
About these numbers

How CDC estimates town health

They're modeled estimatesCDC combines a large national health survey with each area's age, sex, race and income mix to estimate local rates. Nobody surveyed Baker door to door.
Close calls stay grayEvery figure has a margin of error. When the Kansas figure falls inside it, we don't call Baker better or worse.
Why a ZIP codeCDC publishes towns like Baker by ZIP code. We weight the ZIP codes that cover Baker by how much of its land each one covers.

CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, 2025 release. The Kansas figure combines its counties, weighted by adult population.

Health estimates: CDC PLACES. Hospitals and star ratings: Medicare Care Compare (CMS). Health centers and shortage areas: HRSA. Town boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau.

The coffee’s on

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/15 · 2025-01-01